DVG's Involvement in Public Policy

Over the years, DVG has worked to develop open communication and strong partnerships with public officials at the local, state and national level. See the information below for examples of DVG's past and current work in public policy and government relations. Please contact Nancy Lanham (nancy@dvg.org or 215-790-9700 ext. 4) with questions or to receive further information on DVG's involvement in the public policy arena.

Federal Government Relations

State Government Relations

Local Government Relations

DVG Programs Relevant to Public Policy/Government Relations - 1997 to Present

Federal Government Relations:

•	Each year, DVG participates in Foundations on the Hill, a designated day when regional associations and their members visit Capitol Hill and make calls on their Congressional representatives in order to build their knowledge about charitable giving and inform them about how philanthropy impacts the constituents in their home districts.
•	DVG staff has been involved in the Council on Foundations Legislative and Regulations Committee as well as their Legislative Network. These connections enable DVG to act as a clearinghouse of information to keep its members updated on federal legislative issues. This information is delivered to members through regular Legislative Updates in DVG's quarterly newsletter; e-mail briefings on time sensitive issues; and through DVG's Web site.
•	DVG was the first regional association in the nation to partner with the Council on Foundations to present a two-day seminar to our members entitled Making Our Case to Legislators and the Press, part of the Council's Communications-Legislative Initiative, held in July of 1998.
•	DVG distributes it quarterly newsletter to federal legislators and staff who represent the geography DVG covers, as well as invites federal legislators, staff, etc. to its annual conference in an effort to provide the public sector with a better understanding of the role of philanthropy in this region and allow for the building of stronger relationships between the sectors.

State Government Relations:

•	In the fall of 2001, DVG in partnership with Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania and Community Foundations for Pennsylvania, published the first statewide giving report for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The report, "Common Wealth - Giving in Pennsylvania: A Report on the State's Philanthropy" was presented to state legislators in a formal ceremony in the Rotunda of the Capitol, resulting in a proclamation naming October 28, 2001 Philanthropy Day in Pennsylvania.
•	State legislators and their staff who represent the geography DVG serves receive DVG's quarterly newsletter and are invited to DVG's annual conference each year.
•	DVG works with PANO, the statewide association of nonprofit organizations, to keep our members informed of legislation that may affect their grantees. In 2001, DVG used PANO's legislative alert mechanism to inform interested corporate members on the details of the state's Education Improvement Tax Incentive legislation.

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Local Government Relations:

•	Local government leaders and staff receive DVG's quarterly newsletter and are invited to DVG's annual conference. Philadelphia's Mayor Street sent a representative to DVG's 2001 annual conference who publicly thanked DVG and its members for their work in improving Philadelphia's communities.
•	DVG staff participates in a working group of private/public individuals convened by Philadelphia's Director of Children's Policy to encourage public/private partnerships around these issues.
•	DVG created a working group of its members who fund Philadelphia public education to actively partner with the new CEO of the Philadelphia Public Schools to identify and implement best practices to leverage public dollars with private support for Philadelphia's public school students.

DVG Programs Relevant to Public Policy/Government Relations - 1997 to Present

The following is a sampling of DVG Critical Dialogues and other programs designed to provide public sector representatives with an opportunity to learn more about private philanthropy in this region, and for DVG's members to develop relationships with legislators/policy makers.

2005	Nora Dowd Eisenhower, Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging
2004	Michael DiBerardinis, Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources
	Vicki L. Phillips, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education
	Larry Segal, Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Housing and Community Development
	Donna Cooper, Director of the Governor's Policy Office, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
2003	Estelle Richman, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfar
	Philip R. Goldsmith, Acting Commissioner, Fairmount Park Commission
2002	Estelle Richman, Managing Director, City of Philadelphia
	Paul G. Vallas, CEO, School District of Philadelphia
	Patricia L. Smith, Director of the Mayor's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative
	Robert Hess, Deputy Managing Director for Special Needs Housing, City of Philadelphia
2001	Paul DiLorenzo, Director of Children's Policy, City of Philadelphia
2000	James Seif, Secretary of PA Department of Environmental Protection
	John F. Timoney, Philadelphia Police Commissioner
1999	Estelle Richman, Philadelphia Health Commissioner
	John F. Street, Democratic candidate for Mayor
	Sam Katz, Republican candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia
	David Hornbeck, Superintendent of Philadelphia Public Schools
1998	U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah
	Donna Cooper, Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning- "Welfare Reform One Year Later"
	"Making Our Case to Legislators and the Press" in partnership with Council on Foundations
	William Hankowsky, President, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation
	Lucy Hackney, Senior Advisor for U.S. General Services Administration
	Child Care Matters with Jo Ann Lawer, Deputy Secretaryy for Children, Youth and Families and Ronald Raymond, State Representative from Delaware County
1997	Congressman Curt Weldon
	Congressman Joseph Pitts
	Charles Zogby, Governor's Policy Office
	Representative Dwight W. Evans

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